1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a transaxle for four-wheel drive vehicles and more particularly to a transfer for use in a transaxle for four-wheel drive vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A four-wheel drive vehicle is equipped with a transaxle having a transfer for distribution of power to front and rear wheels, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 63-305032. The transfer of the above described publication, however, requires a spur gear, intermediate shaft and pinion which constitute a directional change gearing for transmission of power between two axes which intersect at right angles, thus resulting in a large number of constituent parts, the necessity of being disposed rearward of a front axle and, therefore, a large size.
In general, a vehicle can have an improved driving stability when a steering gear rack is disposed in a lower position for thereby making a steering linkage and a steering knuckle come closer to each other so that front wheels can have toe-in at any time of bound and rebound of the vehicle. However, in the case of the above described prior art four-wheel drive vehicle, the steering gear rack cannot be disposed in a desired lower position because it interferes with the directional change gearing. Accordingly, in the case of the prior art four-wheel drive vehicle, the steering rack must inevitably be disposed above the directional change gearing, resulting in a deterioration of the steering characteristic and therefore the driving stability.